


Never Mind

by amirellani



Series: for me, it's always you [1]
Category: Actor RPF, American Actor RPF, Marvel Cinematic Universe RPF
Genre: Beardburn, Best Friends, Chris gets around a lot but not really idk if that makes sense, Explicit Language, F/M, Mutual Pining, Oral Sex, Pining, Porn With Plot, Sexual Content, The author regrets a lot but not quite as much as last time, Vaginal Sex, Veterinary Clinic, Wingwoman, awkward double date, idiots in love with each other, oh who am I kidding I'm going straight to hell
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-28
Updated: 2016-02-28
Packaged: 2018-05-23 16:21:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6122296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amirellani/pseuds/amirellani
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chris and Mackenzie have been best friends for years. She's not sure exactly when her feelings for him became something more – she just knows that he could never feel the same way for her. Moving on isn't nearly as easy as it sounds, but things work out well enough in the end.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Never Mind

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be a nice short fluffy oneshot about Chris and his fictional best friend being madly in love with each other and neither of them being brave enough to say something in case the other didn't feel the same way, based on an unreleased Taylor Swift song called Never Mind.  
> Then it morphed into this 10000 word monster and I don't know what happened. #sigh. Oh well. Hope you like it.  
> I only regret it a little bit.

Turning the key in the lock, Mackenzie slipped inside and shut the front door behind her quickly. Winter was fading but there was still a chill in the air, and Mackenzie was eager to get inside. She dropped her jacket and her handbag on the couch, on her way to the back door. She slid open the glass door, and there was a clattering of claws on wood as Daisy padded across the porch and slipped inside.

Grinning, Mackenzie shut the door and turned around just in time to brace herself, before two heavy paws collided with her stomach. She fondled the dog’s ears gently, at the same time stopping Daisy from licking her face. The Dalmatian was persistent.

“Hey baby,” she cooed. “Yeah, I missed you too.”

Mackenzie giggled when Daisy, giving up on getting to her face, began sniffing over her scrubs.

“Who can you smell on me today, huh? Anyone you recognise?”

Daisy barked once, and looked up at Mackenzie with that lazy expression dogs had that imitated a smile. Her tongue lolled out of her mouth, and she could have sworn Daisy was grinning at her. Mackenzie grinned back.

“Let me get changed real quick and we’ll go on our run. Hey, Daisy?”

Mackenzie hurried into her bedroom, and Daisy pranced after her excitedly. She stripped off her scrubs and exchanged them for tights and a ratty sweatshirt. Even though the snow had melted, it was still chilly outside. She tossed her scrubs into a corner of her room. She could put them away when they got back, because if she wanted that to be before dark, they needed to get going as soon as possible. 

Her hair was still in a braid from work, more than suitable for jogging. She laced up her sneakers. Buckling Daisy into her harness, Mackenzie clipped on the leash. She stood up quickly, but not before Daisy finally landed a slobbery kiss on her cheek.

“Thanks,” said Mackenzie dryly, wiping at her face.

Daisy rushed to the front door to wait, as Mackenzie stopped to wash her face. She strapped on her phone armband, popped her headphones into her ears, and grabbed Daisy’s leash before she opened the door again. An enthusiastic weight on the other end of the leash, Daisy pushed her way outside before the door was fully open, and Mackenzie swallowed a squeak. She tightened her grip and locked the door as quickly as possible.

“Okay,” she said brightly, grinning at Daisy. “Come on, impatient brat.”

* * *

There was something therapeutic about running, about the steady thud of feet on the sidewalk, the increasing burn in her lungs and the ringing of Taylor Swift in her ears as she kept pace behind her delighted Dalmatian. Rounding the block, Mackenzie slowed to a brisk walk. Daisy followed suit, turning straight into their front yard and waiting patiently for Mackenzie to open the door. As soon as her harness was unclipped, she went straight into the kitchen.

Mackenzie followed her, hanging up the harness on the hook as she went. She grinned at Daisy, drinking noisily from her bowl. Wiping her sweaty forehead on her sleeve, she grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and followed suit.

“I’m thinking risotto for dinner. What do you think?” she asked Daisy absently, not expecting a reply.

“Sounds great. Will there be enough for me?”

Thankfully the water bottle was empty when it fell to the floor. With a shriek, Mackenzie spun around. She reached out for something, anything, she could use for a weapon, before she recognised her best friend. He was staring at her, his eyebrows arched and an amused grin on his face.

“Not funny,” she said flatly, folding her arms across her chest and scowling. He was unperturbed.

“I dunno. It was pretty fucking funny to me,” chuckled Chris.

Muttering under her breath about asshole best friends, Mackenzie turned her back on him and started searching her cupboards for ingredients.

“Aw, come on, Mack,” he teased. “Don’t be like that. I know you missed me.”

“I only _think_ I miss you,” she clarified, keeping her back to him so he couldn’t see her reluctant smile. “Then you get back, and I remember just how goddamn _annoying_ you are.”

“Ouch,” said Chris, still laughing. They’d done this dance many times before. “Should I go?”

Turning around, Mackenzie rolled her eyes.

“No. You can stay.”

“Okay, good, because I wasn’t planning on leaving anyway…”

“Asshole,” she said good-naturedly.

“Come here,” said Chris, grinning.

Stretching out his arms, he walked towards her. Mackenzie tried to back away, but her stove stopped her from going far.

“No,” she protested, drawing the word out. “No, Chris, I was just running, I’m all gross and –”

That didn’t stop Chris from wrapping his arms around her tightly. It didn’t matter how long Chris was gone. When he came back, his hugs were always the same: warm, soft, and all-encompassing. Mackenzie inhaled quietly, squeezing her eyes shut. When she pulled back, she smiled at Chris.

“You know what?” she began.

Chris’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t say it. Don’t you dare say it.”

“You look smaller in person.”

“Damn it, Mack,” he groaned. She patted him on the chest.

“You’ll get over it. Feed Daisy for me?”

Mackenzie refocused her attention on cooking the risotto. After dumping a loaded cup of dry food into Daisy’s bowl and petting her head, Chris took a seat at the kitchen table to watch Mackenzie cook. She might have complained about being gross from her run, but she wasn’t to Chris. She was never more gorgeous than when she was like this: relaxed, comfortable, and talking to Daisy in a high-pitched voice.

“Chris? Hey, earth to Evans.”

“Hmm?” said Chris absently, meeting her gaze. “Did you say something?”

“Yeah,” said Mackenzie. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. “I said, there’s beer in the fridge if you want one.”

Crossing the room, he pulled a bottle from the fridge. He eyed it disdainfully as the fridge door swung shut.

“Can’t you buy the good stuff?”

“You’re the only reason I buy it in the first place. I’m not wasting my money on you.”

He cracked it open and rolled his eyes, sitting back down.

“Maybe I’ll bring my own beer next time.”

“You say that every time and yet, here we are,” sang Mackenzie as she stirred the risotto. “Hey, on the topic of next time, you do remember me telling you that key was for emergencies, right?”

“Yup.”

Turning around slowly, Mackenzie eyed Chris. He toasted her with his beer, arching an eyebrow.

“Okay. Let me try that again. Why did you break into my house this time?”

“Aw, don’t be like that, Macaroni!”

“Don’t call me that,” Mackenzie hissed, throwing a tea towel at him. He caught it easily. “Why are you here?”

“Can’t a guy just miss his best friend?”

“Yes. But why are you here?”

Chris sighed. “Okay. If you must know, I struck out on my date.”

Mackenzie scrunched up her nose.

“It’s six o’clock. What time was this date?”

“We were going to see a movie and go to dinner. She bailed before the movie even started.”

Mackenzie pondered that for a moment. Then she shrugged.

“Okay.”

Chris nearly choked on his beer. He watched Mackenzie reach into one of her cabinets and take out two bowls. She turned off the stove, served out the risotto, and slid one bowl across to Chris.

“Grab some forks, will you? I’m going to put Daisy out for a bit.”

She paused when she came back, her cheeks heating up at the sight of Chris at her kitchen table. He hadn’t only got forks out, like she’d asked, but he’d also poured her a glass of the wine she’d used in the risotto. But Mackenzie recovered quickly, joining Chris and taking a large gulp from the glass of wine.

“You’re not going to ask?”

“Ask what?”

“Why my date crashed and burned.”

Mackenzie shrugged and swallowed her mouthful of risotto. “No? It’s your life, Chris. Unless this girl broke your heart – did she break your heart?”

Chris shook his head.

“Then I can’t really comment on it, can I? I can’t tell you what she was thinking or why she broke it off.”

“Yeah, I guess,” he murmured. “So how was work?”

“It was great!” said Mackenzie, brightening up at once. “A family came in with two adorable Dachshund puppies for their shots. I spent all of the appointment cuddling the tiny things. And Crookshanks the Maine Coon was back. I swear he’s even bigger than last time.”

The more she talked about her day at work, the easier it was for Mackenzie to ignore the needle stabbing her in the left ventricle and the thick bands wrapped around her lungs. Both things were making it difficult to breathe, but Mackenzie had had enough practice that she could pretend everything was okay.

Chris was her best friend. He’d been her best friend for years, ever since he’d come in to the veterinary clinic she worked at with his bulldog, East. They’d run into each other at the dog park a lot as well, when Daisy had been a puppy, and their friendship had grown from there. Mackenzie had helped him cope with his anxiety over auditions and press commitments. She’d listened to his concerns about signing a six-film contract with Marvel and supported him when he had. She’d spent Christmas with his family. She’d been there for him when East had passed away. She had listened to every single one of his relationship anecdotes, good, bad and ugly. She’d helped him fix his broken heart, and she went out with him as his ‘wing-girl’.

And it was slowly killing her, because at some point along the line she’d fallen in love with her best friend. Mackenzie wasn’t sure when her feelings for Chris had changed, developed into something more than friendship. But they had and she was never going to admit that to him, because there was no way he could return her feelings and she wasn’t about to ruin what they already had by tossing love into the mix. She was nothing more to him than his best friend.

It was with an incredibly forced smile, one that she knew from previous experience looked completely sincere, that she agreed to go out with Chris that weekend to his favourite Boston bar. As she carried their empty bowls over to her dishwasher, Mackenzie missed the lingering glance Chris sent her way.

* * *

Considering it was a Saturday night, the bar really wasn’t very crowded. Chris and Mackenzie had found a table upon arriving, in a semi-secluded corner so that Chris could remain incognito if he wanted. A few people had recognised him, but seeing Chris Evans out and about in Boston wasn’t surprising and no one made a fuss over him.

It was nice. He’d been gone for a few months, filming _Captain America: Civil War_ and _Gifted_ , and then when he’d come back to Boston, Chris had spent most of his time reconnecting with his family. Mackenzie hadn’t had him to herself for a while now. Even though it hurt, spending time with Chris knowing he’d never want her the way she wanted him, she cherished every minute of it.

Or at least, she normally did.

“I just don’t understand why you’re not putting yourself out there, Mack.”

Chris sipped from his third beer, eyeing her. Mackenzie groaned.

“I just haven’t, Chris. It’s no big deal,” she muttered, swirling the ice floating in the remains of her rum and coke.

“You should, you know? You’re not getting any younger, Macaroni.”

“Thanks a fucking lot, Christopher. Neither are you,” she retorted, narrowing her eyes.

“Shit Mack, I didn’t – how much have I had to drink?”

Mackenzie was unimpressed. “Not enough for you to blame that on the beer.”

Chris’s face scrunched up. After chugging back the rest of his beer, the empty bottle clinked when he put it down.

“Fuck. Okay, I didn’t mean it like – how it sounded.”

“Then how did you mean it?” she asked sourly.

“I just meant – I want to see you happy. You know?”

Mackenzie said nothing, only looking at him. She knew him well enough to tell that the sincerity in his eyes was legitimate and not beer-induced.

“I know,” she said softly. “Hey, you want another drink?”

Chris nodded. Mackenzie grinned, and stood up. She left their table behind and headed for the bar, ordering another beer for Chris and a regular coke for herself. When she came back, though, Chris had found company in the form of a curly-haired woman who could only have found that particular shade of red in a bottle. She handed him the beer, a forced smile on her face, and returned to the bar to drink her coke. Like a car crash, Mackenzie couldn’t keep her eyes from drifting over to where the pair was flirting.

She caught a taxi home, leaving Chris and the redhead behind at the bar.

* * *

Mackenzie burst out laughing when her boisterous Dalmatian tackled Chris, knocking him over in her attempts to get the tennis ball. Chris laughed as well, rescuing the ball from Daisy and tossing it as far as he could despite being flat on his back on the damp, muddy grass. Daisy went tearing after it, and Chris staggered back to his feet. A grin split his face in two.

“I love that dog.”

“I’m not sharing custody,” joked Mackenzie. He rolled his eyes at her. “So how are things with Merida?”

“Merida?”

“The redhead from the bar last weekend?”

Chris frowned, and then his brow unfurrowed as his eyebrows shot up.

“Oh! You mean Amber. Not nice, Mack.”

“Hey, if the shoe fits,” Mackenzie commented with a shrug.

Chris chuckled and shook his head as Daisy came racing back with the tennis ball. She dropped it at his feet, and he threw it for her again.

“Went on a date last night. We didn’t hit it off.”

“Too bad,” she murmured.

“Eh. You don’t know until you try, right?”

“Exactly,” Mackenzie replied a little forcefully, earning her a concerned look from Chris. She didn’t notice it, though, as Daisy came bounding up to her with the ball. “Daisy, baby, you know I can’t throw as far as Chris. Go to him.”

Wagging her tail broadly, Daisy went straight to Chris. He snorted, tugging the ball from the dog’s mouth. A sneaky glint in his eyes, he pretended to throw the ball. Daisy bounced away but came to an abrupt stop when she couldn’t find the ball, and turned to stare at Chris indignantly. He grinned.

“Too clever for that, hey? Go on, then.”

He pegged the ball over Daisy’s head, and with a yap she went after it. A small smile tugged at the corners of Mackenzie’s mouth. It was impossible not to smile when Chris was acting like a complete goofball with Daisy. Dogs always brought out his inner child, and Daisy had definitely helped him out of the funk East’s death had left him in. They were two of the most important presences in her life, and the two of them together were too adorable for words.

Daisy came running back, and Chris wrestled the ball from her again. Barking joyfully, Daisy danced around Chris waiting for him to throw it. He feinted again, but the dog didn’t fall for it a second time. Mackenzie could have sworn she saw Daisy roll her eyes, before Chris finally threw the ball again.

“Hey,” she began, coming up beside him and resting her head on his shoulder. “Have you thought about getting another dog? I know you miss East, but it’s been a few years now.”

Chris shook his head. He wrapped his arm around Mackenzie’s shoulder and drew her closer to him. Mackenzie swallowed, aware of what they had to look like in that position and wishing desperately that she had the nerve to tell Chris she liked him as more than just a friend. She didn’t, though. She didn’t dare tell him, not when she stood to lose him if he didn’t feel the same way.

“It’s not the right time,” said Chris quietly. “I’m travelling too much right now. It wouldn’t be fair on a dog if I had to leave it with someone all the time. Besides, I can always borrow Daisy if I need a dog fix.”

Chris beamed down at her, and Mackenzie grinned back. At the same time, she bit back a wince as another piece of her heart chipped away, stolen by Chris’s beautiful, perfect smile.

* * *

“Koda, hi! Hi,” crooned Mackenzie, messing with the Alaskan Malamute’s fuzzy ears. “Someone’s excited to see the vet.”

His owner smiled at her apologetically, tugging back on the leash. “Honestly, I think he’s more excited to see you. As soon as Mark comes out to get him, Koda turns into a kitten.”

“Maybe he just knows who keeps the good treats, hey, Mack? Right on time, Jason,” said Mark, laughing from the doorway to his room.

True to form, Koda cowered behind his human when he heard Mark’s voice. Giggling, Mackenzie helped corral Koda into the vet’s room. She was working the desk today, unless her help was desperately needed for something, so as soon as the door was shut behind Koda’s tail she went back to her chair. Brushing the fur from her scrubs, Mackenzie looked up as the door chimed again.

“Chris! What… are you doing here?”

Chris shrugged. He probably thought he was inconspicuous, in his grey hoodie and Patriots cap, but he wasn’t and he didn’t need to be. He was one of Boston’s favourite boys. They knew how to look after him.

“Believe it or not, I’m human and I get bored at home alone. Like a dog.”

“That’s not really helping your case for being human,” she said dryly.

He pouted. “That’s mean, Mack.”

“Eh. I don’t know why you’re surprised.”

“True. So, Ryan gets back in town this weekend.”

“No,” said Mackenzie at once. “No, Chris, you didn’t.”

“And I kind of said we’d double,” he continued, as if she hadn’t said anything.

“ _We_?” she asked incredulously. “Who’s we?”

“You and Ryan. Me and – Tiffany.”

“Tiffany. Of course. It’s not Tiffany Harcombe, is it? I think she was in the year below my brother. They just keep getting younger, don’t they?”

Chris frowned. “Hey. What’s with the tone?”

Inhaling sharply, Mackenzie forced back her frustration.

“Nothing. I’m sorry,” she said, smiling sardonically. “But you know I just don’t see Ryan that way and I wish you’d both give up!”

“Aw, come on, Mack. He really likes you. If you just gave him a chance you’d see, he’s not like those jerks you usually date –”

“Hey!”

“– and I really want you to meet Tiffany, I think you’ll like her.”

“Damn it, Chris,” she groaned. “Fine.”

His face brightened immediately, beaming out from beneath his Patriots cap. Looking around quickly, Chris leaned over the counter and pecked Mackenzie on the cheek. Her skin burnt where his lips had touched, and she ducked her head as soon as he leaned back.

“You owe me. So much, I’m not kidding,” she warned, as soon as she was sure her voice wasn’t going to wobble. Chris was still grinning like an idiot.

“Yes. I do. Absolutely. I’ll text you the details?”

“Yeah, sure,” mumbled Mackenzie.

The door chimed, signalling that another customer and their pet had entered the clinic. Chris smiled at the customer, and at Mackenzie one last time.

“See you later, Mack,” he called over his shoulder.

“Mhmm,” she mumbled to herself, before turning a smile on the customer, her daughter, and her daughter’s sad-looking bunny. “Aw, sweetie, you’re not looking so good. Let’s get you in to see Doctor Emma.”

* * *

The restaurant was great. With a friendly atmosphere and a well-stocked bar, the steakhouse was one of both Chris and Mackenzie’s favourites. It made sense that Chris had chosen it, considering just how much Mackenzie did _not_ want to be there that night. That hadn’t stopped her from looking good, however. There was no way Mackenzie was going to show up to a double date with Chris’s latest squeeze looking anything less than perfect.

She’d curled her chocolate brown hair earlier, so that it hung in loose waves just past her shoulders. Her green dress brought out flecks of the same shade in her hazel eyes. It clung to her body like a second skin, showing off the results of her daily runs with Daisy. Given the way Ryan’s eyes had lingered over her body, he certainly appreciated it.

They’d been at the restaurant for barely an hour and already Mackenzie was exhausted. She liked Ryan, she did. He just wasn’t her type. She internally glared at the devil on her shoulder, telling her that she was right – her type was Chris, not Chris’s friend. That was completely irrelevant, especially considering Chris was there with a proper date.

Tiffany did turn out to be Tiffany Harcombe, an air-headed blonde in her mid-twenties who was seemingly stuck to Chris’s side. Whenever she thought Chris or Ryan weren’t looking, Tiffany was glaring at Mackenzie.

Mackenzie sighed. She sipped from her wine and desperately wished it was something stronger. Chris was having a great time catching up with Ryan. Tiffany was apparently enjoying herself, rubbing up against Chris like a cat in heat. What was he thinking? Where did he even find these girls?

“How are you, Mack?” Ryan asked, taking a swig from his beer. “It’s been too long.”

“Yes, it has,” replied Mackenzie, trying to keep the ice out of her voice. Tiffany was basically molesting Chris, kissing his neck, and he was doing nothing to stop her. “I’m good. I’m always good. You?”

Time couldn’t pass quickly enough for Mackenzie’s liking. She’d limited herself to one glass of wine with dinner. By the time they left the restaurant, any buzz the alcohol had provided had long worn off. She said goodbye to Chris, before he left with Tiffany, and then turned to Ryan. He was looking down at her, with a smile on his face that she could only describe as sad.

“You should just tell him, you know?” he offered, shrugging and shoving his hands in his pockets.

“What are you talking about?”

“Come on, Mack,” he chuckled humorlessly. “It’s no secret you’re in love with Chris. Tell him. He’d pick you over any of those bimbos in a heartbeat.”

“No, he wouldn’t,” murmured Mackenzie. She smiled tiredly. “I’m sorry, Ryan. You’re a great guy, honestly, just…”

“I know. Don’t worry about it,” he said. “How are you getting home? Do you need a ride?”

“I was going to call for a cab,” she replied. “But if you’re offering, that would be great. Thanks.”

“No problem. It’ll be a lot quicker than a cab.”

Mackenzie grinned. “Definitely. Anything that gets me home to Daisy sooner is a no-brainer.”

“Daisy. That’s your dog, right?”

They began walking to the parking lot. Mackenzie nodded.

“Yep. The dorkiest Dalmatian you’ll ever meet, I swear.”

“She sounds adorable.”

“Oh, she is. You could meet her if you want, when you drop me home.”

“Sure. I love dogs.”

* * *

“ _So how did things go with Ryan? I couldn’t help noticing you left together._ ”

Mackenzie could hear Chris’s eyebrows waggling through the phone, and she rolled her eyes.

“How many times do I have to tell you, Chris? Nothing is ever going to happen between Ryan and me. We both know that. Stop trying to set us up.”

“ _Aw, come on, Mack. I thought you’d be good together._ ”

“Like you and Barbie McBimbo? Sorry, I mean – you and Tiffany?”

“ _She wasn’t that bad!_ ” protested Chris, laughing loudly on the other end of the line. “ _Besides, she called it quits._ ”

“Christopher, what are you doing to these girls?” exclaimed Mackenzie. “She was all over you!”

“ _I dunno. Guess I just haven’t found the right one yet. Maybe I’ll get lucky, and she’ll be my date tomorrow night._ ”

Mackenzie almost choked on her own tongue. “You really don’t waste any time moving on, do you?”

“ _Nope_ ,” chirped Chris. “ _She’s great. You’ll love her._ ”

“If it lasts that long,” said Mackenzie, hoping her bitterness didn’t filter down the phone.

“ _Shush you._ ”

“Never. Look, Chris, I gotta go.”

“ _Yeah, okay. We’ll talk again soon. Take care of yourself, Mack._ ”

“You too, Chris,” she said quietly, before hanging up.

Mackenzie tossed her phone onto her bed. She’d lied to Chris. She didn’t have anything she needed to get to, but she just – she couldn’t do this anymore. Chris was too good, too perfect, and he was never going to look at her the same way he’d looked at Tiffany that night.

Maybe it was time she forced herself to move on as well.

* * *

“You’re going out with _Keith_?”

“Please, Christopher, come on in,” she muttered under her breath.

Daisy, who had been dozing under the table, lifted her head lazily. Seeing that it was only Chris, the Dalmatian rested her head down again with soft, whuffing noise. Chris marched into the kitchen, brow furrowed.

“That key is for _emergencies_.”

“This is a fucking emergency, believe me.”

“It’s an emergency that I’m dating?” asked Mackenzie incredulously, dropping the knife she’d been using to cut vegetables with. She spun around, pinning Chris with a glare.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” said Chris at once. “It’s not that you’re dating, it’s that you’re dating Keith.”

“What’s wrong with Keith? He’s friends with Scott, isn’t he? They were in the same year. He’s a nice guy.”

“He’s a jerk.”

“All men are jerks,” she retorted. “Is that really what you came here to say?”

“No,” said Chris, a pout tugging at his lips. “I don’t think you should go out with him, Mack.”

“Seriously? _Seriously_ , Chris?”

“Yes!”

“No, are you seriously telling me, the minute I get a date myself, that you don’t think I should do it, after trying to set me up with Ryan just last week?”

“Ryan’s a good guy. Keith is a –”

“Jerk. I heard you the first time.” Mackenzie glowered at him. “Go away, Chris. This is none of your business.”

“Yes, it damn well is!” he grunted.

“Really? How?” Chris said nothing in reply. Mackenzie snorted. “That’s what I thought. Go away, Christopher.”

She returned to her vegetables, turning her back on Chris and squaring her shoulders to hide the shaking.

“Mack – actually, you know what, fine. I’m going. Just – don’t come crying to me when it turns out that Keith is a jerk.”

“I won’t!” snapped Mackenzie, unable to stop herself.

Chris just growled wordlessly, showing himself out the same way he’d shown himself in. As soon as Mackenzie heard her door slam shut, she dropped the knife again. Sliding to the floor, she didn’t have to wait long until Daisy padded over to her, resting her large head on Mackenzie’s shoulder. She reached up and began petting her dog gently.

“I know, baby,” she whispered, ignoring the tears sliding down her cheeks. “He didn’t mean that. He’s – my friend.”

_Just my friend._

Daisy whined as her human buried her face in her shoulder and cried.

* * *

Chris wasn’t himself that night, and his date picked up on it instantly. She was chattering enough for the both of them, filling the silence Chris left with squeaky giggles that grated on his nerves. He smiled thinly at yet another one of her jokes, and signaled to the waiter.

“Another beer, sir?”

“No, actually, just a Coke, thanks.”

“Of course.”

The girl – Tandy? Mandy? Candy. – looked over at Chris and pouted. “You’re not drinking?”

Chris shook his head. “Nah. Not tonight.”

“Oh. Okay.” She perked up. “We don’t need to drink to have fun, anyway.”

He cringed when she wrapped her hand around his bicep. Chris unpeeled her fingers slowly, sandwiching her hand between his and squeezing it.

“Look, Candy –”

“It’s Brandy,” she said indignantly.

“Sorry. Brandy.” Chris nodded. “You’re lovely. You’re a great girl. But this – I can’t do this and I don’t want to lead you on.”

Brandy’s face crumpled slightly, but then she shrugged. “Yeah, okay. Are you staying for dessert, or…?”

“I – actually, I have somewhere I need to be. I’m really sorry. I don’t normally do this, I swear.”

Brandy’s smile was small, but sincere. “No, I get it. Go tell the girl how you feel. But dinner’s on you, right?”

“Of course!”

Chris settled the tab, looking very much like a puppy caught chewing on his owner’s slippers. With one last hug and a kiss on the cheek, he left Brandy and headed out to his car. The engine roared to life and Chris drove off, down familiar streets, until he pulled up in front of a familiar house.

Parking, he turned the key in the ignition. He didn’t get out of the car, though. Pursing his lips, Chris considered his options. He knew what he wanted to do. He just wasn’t sure what kind of reception he would be walking into if he did. It had been a week since he’d spoken to Mackenzie, they hadn’t parted on good terms, and he just wanted to fix things.

_Screw it._

Chris jumped out of the car, moving quickly up the front path.

* * *

In all the years that Mackenzie had known Chris, this was the longest they’d gone without talking – and it had only been a week. He hadn’t let himself into her house, he hadn’t called, he hadn’t texted; everything on the Chris Evans front had been dark. After the third day Mackenzie realised he was giving her the silent treatment, and put all of her energy into pretending he didn’t exist. She followed her usual routine – work, running with Daisy – and she made plans with Keith. He was nice. They’d gone out together twice already, and both times Mackenzie had enjoyed herself.

He wasn’t Chris, though, and that was probably the reason Mackenzie found herself in her living room at ten o’clock on a Friday night after their third date. Well. It wasn’t completely to blame – the biggest reason was that Keith had, actually, turned out to be a jerk. But the ice cream, and the cheesy rom-com she was only half-watching?

That was because he wasn’t Chris.

Shoving another spoonful of triple fudge chocolate into her mouth, Mackenzie glared at the television. Her vision had gone blurry all of a sudden. Dropping the spoon into the carton, she wiped at her watery eyes. Of all the rom-coms she had in her house, Mackenzie had been unable to stop herself from putting in _What’s You Number?_.

It was stupid, but with Chris not talking to her and after such a disastrous date she just wanted to see his face and hear his voice. She gave up on not crying, and grabbed her spoon again as tears ran down her cheeks.

Maybe that was why Mackenzie didn’t hear the car pulling up outside, or the slam of a car door. She didn’t hear Daisy running towards the front door as it opened, didn’t hear the approaching footsteps until the intruder was standing in the living room entrance.

“Mack?”

Her head jerked up. She turned the TV off at once, and tried to hide the tub of ice cream underneath a cushion. His lips twitched, though, and Mackenzie knew he’d seen what movie she was watching.

“When are you going to stop breaking into my house?” she bit out.

“As soon as you take away my key,” he said quietly. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not,” he murmured, walking further into the living room. He lifted the cushion and pulled the tub of ice cream away from her. Sitting on the other end of the couch, he popped a spoonful into his mouth. His eyes didn’t leave her, not for one second, even though she refused to look at him.

“What’s wrong?” Chris looked at her appraisingly. “You’re all dressed up. You had a date?”

Mackenzie ignored him, staring resolutely at the blank television screen.

“You’ve been crying.”

“You said not to come crying to you,” she muttered. “So I didn’t.”

“Come on, Mack,” he murmured. “You know I’m sorry.”

She shrugged, still not looking at him.

“What happened? You were on a date, right? Did it go bad? Do I need to punch Keith? I would, you know, the stunt training isn’t just for show. What did he do, Mack? Did he –?”

“He was a jerk, okay?” snapped Mackenzie, interrupting Chris. “Fucking prick thought the third date guaranteed him sex. So you win! My dates always end up being jerks.”

“Mack…”

“No, you know what, it’s fine. I’ll just be single for the rest of my life.”

Standing up, she snatched the ice cream out of his hands and marched into her kitchen on bare feet. Chris followed her, watching silently as she shoved the ice cream carton back into the freezer.

“The good ones are taken, anyway, or they don’t look twice at me,” Mackenzie muttered under her breath, slamming the freezer door shut.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Mackenzie froze, her hand clenching around the freezer handle. Biting her lip, she turned to face Chris.

“Nothing,” she muttered. “Never mind. Forget I said it.”

“Uh, no. You said that for a reason. What did you mean?”

“Chris, I –”

“Come on, Mackenzie! Tell me what you meant!”

“You, damn it, Chris. No one will every compare to you!”

Chris blinked. Mackenzie clapped a hand over her mouth, and swallowed.

“Oh, God,” she groaned. “I didn’t – I’m sorry, Chris. You – you can let yourself out. I’m going to drink an entire bottle of wine and pretend that never happened and –”

“No.”

It was Mackenzie’s turn to blink.

“No, Mack, I’m not just gonna leave.” Chris leaned against the doorframe. “You know why I’m kind of a serial-dater? It’s because I’m in love with someone else. Girls always pick up on it eventually, you know? I don’t know how they do it, but they do. I guess it probably doesn’t help that I talk about her a lot? They don’t realise it at first, because they think Mack is a guy’s name, but when they do, well. They’re right to stop seeing me. It’s not fair to them.”

Her mind was spinning. Nothing was coming into focus. She couldn’t make any sense of what Chris was saying. Mackenzie’s mouth opened and closed, but all she could get out was, “What?”

It came out as a strangled squawk and Mackenzie couldn’t help blushing when Chris grinned at her.

“You’re my best friend, Mack,” he said quietly. “But I’ve wanted you to be more than that for a while now.”

“But – you – I don’t – you’re just saying that.”

“I’m not.”

“Chris, then – what are you saying?” whispered Mackenzie.

He shook his head and grinned at her crookedly. Pushing himself away from the doorframe, he crossed the kitchen. Mackenzie backed away slowly, until she felt the fridge and freezer handles pushing into her back. Chris kept coming, and rested his hands gently on her hips. Instead of pulling Mackenzie towards him he leaned forward, trapping her between his body and the fridge.

“I’m saying,” he murmured, the heat in his voice sending a ripple down her spine. “That I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time.”

Mackenzie was frozen in place as Chris leaned down. His lips brushed against hers, barely there, and her breath hitched. Then he kissed her, softly, tenderly. Mackenzie didn’t respond at first, as her mind raced to catch up with everything that was happening. By the time she caught up Chris was pulling away. Blinking, she pulled his head back down, crushing their lips together.

Grunting at the movement, it didn’t take long for Chris to regain control. One of his hands moved to cup the back of her head, as the fingers on his other hand dug into her waist. He pushed forward, pressing her flush against his body as he sandwiched her against the fridge. Chris tangled his fingers in her hair, using his grip to angle her head more to one side. He nipped lightly at her lower lip before running his tongue smoothly across the same place, and Mackenzie couldn’t help gasping. Chris took advantage of that, his tongue darting curiously into her open mouth as his beard rubbed against her skin.

Mackenzie moaned – and Chris broke away.

“Shit. Mack, I – sorry. I’m sorry.” He stepped back, running a hand through his hair. “I’m taking advantage – sorry. I’ll go.”

“… What?” Mackenzie said, wincing at how breathy her voice sounded. “No. Stay, Chris. Please. You’re not taking advantage. It’s you, it’s always been you, I’ve always wanted – you.”

Chris’s eyes darkened. He licked his lips.

“You’re sure, Mack? Because – I don’t want this to be a one-time thing. You’re more important than that. I want our dinners together to be dates. I want you on my arm at those stupid premieres. I want everyone to know that I’ve somehow convinced the most amazing girl in the world to put up with me.”

“I want that too, Chris,” she admitted, blushing. “I want this. I want you.”

Something flashed in Chris’s eyes, but before she could even attempt to work out what it was he was in front of her again, his hands on her waist as he pushed her back against the fridge and kissed her again. She moaned, looping her arms around his neck as she returned the kiss. He wasted no time in sliding his tongue into her mouth. Mackenzie returned the favour, fighting briefly for dominance before she let Chris take control.

She whined when he broke the kiss, only to moan when he began kissing the side of her neck instead. Mackenzie moaned loudly when he nibbled across her collarbone, exposed by the low neckline and spaghetti straps of her dress, and gasped when he started sucking on a particular spot. Her knees buckled. Only her arms around Chris’s neck and his hands on her waist stopped her from hitting the floor.

Chris chuckled. Running his hands over her thighs, up and down her waist, he stared into her eyes. Her pupils were blown wide, matching her pink cheeks and the flush he could see creeping down her neck and over her collarbone.

“Do you have any idea,” he began, voice rumbling in his chest, “how hard it is to keep my hands to myself when you’re all dressed up like this? You’re hot enough as it is in your sweats. You’re gorgeous, Mack.”

“What made you keep them to yourself?” panted Mackenzie, grinning when Chris’s eyes widened.

“Nothing, anymore,” he growled, wiping the grin from her lips with another heated kiss. “Fuck, Mack. I love you in this dress, but I can’t fucking wait to get you out of it.”

Chris ran his hands down her waist again, over her hips. She moaned quietly when he squeezed her ass. Then Mackenzie squeaked in surprise when he lifted her effortlessly. Her dress bunched up as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Pressed between Chris and the fridge, Mackenzie could feel the evidence of his arousal as his fingers danced along the newly exposed skin of her thighs. She tossed her head back as he dug his nails in gently, and then she leaned forward. Burying her face in his neck and nuzzling up to his ear, Mackenzie nipped at his earlobe, eliciting a hiss from Chris.

“Bedroom,” she murmured.

He nodded, but he didn’t put her back down. He simply turned, prompting her to strengthen her hold on him. Chris didn’t waste any time, rushing down the hall to Mackenzie’s bedroom. She giggled when Chris tossed her lightly onto the bed. Lying on her back, she laughed when he shut the door before Daisy could follow them in. Her laughter faded as he strode towards her, unbuttoning his shirt and discarding it just as he arrived at the side of the bed.

It wasn’t the first time she’d seen him shirtless, but God, he was built to impossibly perfect proportions. Mackenzie rolled onto her knees. Crawling to the edge of the bed, she reached out to Chris and trailed her fingers down his abs. He was about to unbutton his jeans, but she knocked his hands away instead. Looking up at him, she answered the question in his eyes with a nod. Mackenzie unbuttoned his jeans and unzipped his fly, sliding them slowly down his narrow hips. She brushed her hand against the erection tenting his briefs and he groaned quietly. Then Chris hissed as she tugged his briefs down, exposing his cock to the cool air of the bedroom.

Mackenzie swallowed, her eyes drawn to Chris’s erection, bobbing just inches from her face. She glanced at him, and the unfiltered want she could see in his eyes spurred her into action. Sitting back on her heels, she reached for him and wrapped one gentle hand around the base of his cock. She moved her hand over him slowly, stroking him to full attention. He groaned again, and then gasped when Mackenzie leaned down and licked a stripe up his erection from base to tip. She smirked at his reaction, pressing a kiss to the tip of his cock and peering up at Chris through her eyelashes.

“Christ, Mack,” rumbled Chris. “Wanted you for so long.”

Then he let out a choked grunt. Mackenzie hadn’t stopped stroking him, and now she swirled her tongue around the tip of his cock before wrapping her lips around it. His erection was hot in her mouth, velvet-covered steel, as she sucked on him gently. She didn’t look away, his eyes catching and holding hers as Chris dropped a hand to her head and tangled his fingers loosely in her hair. All it took was a gentle increase in pressure on the back of her head, and Mackenzie began to bob up and down on his cock.

Chris wasn’t huge, but he was well endowed, and there was no way she would be able to take all of him into her mouth. That wasn’t going to stop her. As Chris’s cock slid in and out of her mouth, her tongue danced along him. Mackenzie felt every crease and wrinkle in his skin as he throbbed, hot and heavy against her tongue as she sucked on him.

He was letting out breathy little grunts consistently now. Mackenzie hollowed out her cheeks and began to hum. Chris swore loudly.

“Fuck, baby. That’s so good, too good, Mack, you gotta stop.”

She didn’t, beginning to hum more strongly around his erection and twisting her hand as she stroked the base. Reaching up with her other hand, she began to fondle his balls with feather-light fingers. Chris’s hips jerked erratically, and he let out a longer, higher-pitched, shaky groan.

Then his fingers tightened in her hair, and he pulled Mackenzie off his cock. She huffed disappointedly, pouting up at him. Then her eyes flickered back to his cock; an angry shade of red, rigid, and glistening with a mixture of her saliva and his pre-come. She couldn’t help feeling a spark of pride as arousal bubbled in the pit of her stomach. She’d done that to him. She looked up at Chris again, licking her lips. His blue eyes were clouded with desire, and Mackenzie swallowed a whimper as heat rushed through her body.

“My turn,” Chris murmured, his voice low, rough, and full of promise.

Bending down and cupping her cheek, he crushed his mouth to Mackenzie’s. There was nothing shy or curious about his tongue this time as he explored every crevice of her mouth in a searing kiss. Breaking away and unraveling his fingers from her hair, he stepped out of the jeans pooled at his feet. Resting both hands on Mackenzie’s shoulders, he pushed her down to lie on her back in the middle of the bed. He crawled onto the bed after her, and Mackenzie propped herself up on her elbows. Chris straddled her, gazing down at her with unguarded want in his eyes. He leaned down again, brushing his lips against Mackenzie’s in the lightest of kisses.

“Time to get rid of this dress, baby,” he teased, tracing the tip of one finger slowly along the neckline of her dress. Her skin erupted into goose bumps under his touch, and she felt her hardening nipples poking at the material of her dress. Chris grinned and sat up, moving down until he was straddling her knees and brushing a hand against one of her nipples as he did so. Mackenzie’s breath hitched when it did so, and as Chris curled his hands around her thighs.

His fingers began gliding up her thighs, agonizingly slow and leaving burning skin in their wake, until they caught on the hem of her dress. Chris began fiddling with it idly, smirking crookedly down at Mackenzie. She stared back at him with wide eyes, her cheeks flushed.

Chris inched her dress up slowly, taking his time as he kissed his way up her exposed skin, until the dress was bunched around her waist. His fingers hooked under the waistband of her black lace panties and glided across the skin of her stomach. Mackenzie’s teeth dug into her lower lip.

“Chris, come on,” Mackenzie said impatiently. She squeaked when he snapped the elastic of her panties, and glared at him.

“Nope,” replied Chris. “My speed, Macaroni.”

“Stop calling me that,” she whined, and flopped back onto the bed. She giggled when Chris hiked her dress up even further and started kissing her stomach. Her giggles morphed into a shaky moan when Chris started sucking a hickey next to her belly button. “Chris, please.”

“No,” he reiterated. “Told you, Mack. You’re special. We’re going at my speed, and I wanna take my time.”

She pouted. Chris chuckled, grabbing the bunched up fabric of her dress again.

“Arms up, babe,” he instructed. Mackenzie did as she was told, grinning at him slyly. He tugged her dress over her head and tossed it aside. Then he groaned. “Really? No bra?”

“Thought you noticed,” she said coyly, arching her chest towards him.

Chris growled and leaned down, mashing his lips to hers in a hungry kiss. At the same time his hands moved to cup her breasts, his thumbs toying with her nipples. Caged beneath his body, Chris’s erection rubbed over her panty-covered sex and pressed against her stomach. Mackenzie whined, arching up into the kiss. Her hands moved down over Chris’s shoulders and she dug her fingernails lightly into his pecs.

He growled and started licking a trail down her neck, before he sucked one of her nipples into his mouth. Kneading her other breast slowly, his tongue laved over the tight bud. Mackenzie sighed, and then mewled when Chris tugged on her nipple with his teeth.

“C-Chris,” she stammered. “Please.”

Chris sat up, smiling down at her smugly. “Please what, baby?”

“Want – more. Please.”

“Well, since you asked so nicely,” he murmured, and moved down the bed. His hands followed, pushing her thighs apart gently. She spread them at once, and he rested his hands on her hips. He exhaled, warm breath ghosting over her pussy, and she hissed.

“Damn it, Chris, please, I – oh, fuck.”

Mackenzie’s impatient outburst was lost in a drawn out moan when, without much warning, Chris covered her panties with his mouth. She bucked up and he pressed down, pinning her hips to the bed as he ran his tongue up and down the damp lace. He toyed with her clit briefly through the material before he leaned back and licked his lips.

“Shit, Mack, you’re soaked,” said Chris.

He grinned when she just nodded at him weakly. It wasn’t often that she was lost for words. Chris slid his hands under the elastic of her panties and he began tugging them down her legs. She bent her legs up so that he didn’t have to move, and then the scrap of material was joining her dress on the other side of the room. Her legs fell open again, her pussy on display, and he spent a moment just admiring her. Mackenzie blushed; colour spread from her cheeks down past her collarbone, and Chris stopped her from closing her legs.

“Perfect, Mack,” Chris murmured, brushing his fingers lightly over the neatly trimmed thatch of hair at the juncture of her thighs. “So fucking perfect.”

Mackenzie whined happily when Chris brought his mouth back down to her pussy. His beard scraped against her inner thighs, a pleasant burn as he ran his tongue through her folds. He circled around her clit on every swipe, teasing the tiny nub until it was begging for more attention.

Mackenzie’s breathing was ragged, and she rocked her hips up towards Chris’s face when he caught her clit gently between his teeth. He flattened his left hand over her stomach and held her down, darting his tongue down to tease her entrance before he returned his focus to her swollen clit.

“Chris,” she panted. “God, Chris, please.”

He smirked into her pussy and brought his right hand up to join his mouth. He slipped two fingers inside her slick channel and Mackenzie whined.

“Yes. Yes, please, Chris,” she gasped out.

Chris fastened his mouth over clit, tormenting it with his tongue as he slid his fingers in and out of her. Mackenzie’s hands flew down to his head and tangled in his hair, keeping his mouth where it was. Chris crooked his fingers inside her and pressed down harder with his left hand when she bucked her hips.

Mackenzie whimpered softly as the familiar pressure built quickly, behind her navel. Chris was relentless, working his fingers inside her body and rolling over her clit with his tongue. He added a third finger and sucked suddenly on her clit. Mackenzie keened beneath him and held his head firmly against her as her body spasmed. She rode out her orgasm, the pressure from her navel bursting and sending heat rushing through her veins.

Chris didn’t stop until she whined and tugged at his hair. He propped himself up on his elbows and grinned at Mackenzie. His beard was darker, shining with her arousal. She stared back at him, panting as she caught her breath.

“Thought you were fit, Mack,” he teased. “With all that running.”

“I’d like to see you breathing properly after the best orgasm you’ve had for months,” she got out, rolling her eyes.

Chris’s eyebrows shot up.

“Months?” Mackenzie nodded. “We gotta do something about that, then.”

He moved back up the bed, hovering over her. Mackenzie rested her hands on his chest, gliding her fingers across the planes of his muscles. He kissed her, lips sliding over hers as her tongue darted out to meet his. She tasted herself in his mouth and his damp beard grazed against her cheeks. Mackenzie was surprised to feel the tingling pressure begin building again so soon.

She cupped the back of his head, threading her fingers through his hair, and he stared down at her in amused adoration. Then he grunted in surprise, burying his face in her neck when her other hand wrapped around his cock, jerking his weeping erection back to life; not that it needed the help.

“We gotta do something about this, too,” she murmured cheekily into his ear. “That’s gotta be uncomfortable.”

Chris nodded.

“What are you waiting for, then? Fuck me, Chris, please.”

Pulling his head away from her neck, where he’d been nuzzling into her, Chris smirked at Mackenzie.

“Oh, babe, if you insist.”

She nodded, and hummed happily when he kissed her again.

“Condom?” Chris asked, staring into her eyes just inches from his own. She shook her head.

“M’on the pill. I’m clean. You?”

“Yeah,” he murmured, kissing the side of her neck and massaging her ass. “It’s been a while.”

“What? But –”

Lifting his head away from her neck, Chris interrupted her.

“I told you, I’ve been in love with you for years. My dates never went past dinner.” She stared at him, and Chris was terrified to see tears welling up in her eyes. “Shit. What did I say? Mack, I’m sorry.”

She covered his mouth with one finger and blinked.

“I love you, too,” Mackenzie whispered. She arched a teasing eyebrow. “Now, show me you’re not all talk.”

“Fighting words, babe,” murmured Chris.

Then he was reaching down between their legs, knocking her hand away from his erection. He slapped her clit lightly with his cock, making her squirm beneath him, before positioning himself and sliding into her with a smooth jolt of his hips. Mackenzie moaned, splaying her empty hand against his chest as she adjusted to the feeling of him inside her. Chris groaned as her walls clenched around him, surrounding him in her tight heat.

“Move, Chris,” she whined impatiently.

Chris snorted, catching her mouth in a dirty kiss and tugging on her lower lip when he broke away. He pulled his hips back slowly and snapped them forward, coaxing a breathy whimper from Mackenzie as he set the rhythm. She huffed and tossed her head back, sliding her hands to his shoulders. It felt so good, as the pleasure built up in her lower half, but at the same time Chris’s pace was infuriatingly slow. She could see it in his eyes, just inches above hers, that he was taking his time and savouring it.

Mackenzie wanted more.

“Is something wrong?” he teased, seeing the frustration on her face.

“Damn it, Chris,” complained Mackenzie. “Quit fucking around.”

Chuckling, Chris gradually started slowing down, until he was resting with just the tip of his cock at Mackenzie’s entrance. She whined loudly, glaring at him.

“What are you doing?”

“You told me to stop fucking around,” he said innocently. “I’m just doing what you asked.”

Chris laughed when Mackenzie smacked him on the shoulder. His laugh cut off abruptly when she wrapped her legs around him, pressing her heels into his ass. Jerking her hips up, she drew him back into her body more deeply than he’d been before. They both groaned, eyes fluttering shut, before Chris began to chuckle again and smirked down at her. He thrust into her slowly again, rolling his hips in a steady pattern.

“That’s not – what I meant,” she muttered, biting her lower lip and moaning softly. “Thought you were good at this.”

“Is that a challenge?” he crowed, his voice slightly muffled. He was nibbling on her neck again. “It sounded like a challenge.”

“Fucking _do_ something, Chris, you’re such a dick,” moaned Mackenzie. She dug her fingernails into his shoulders.

“Oh, you asked for it, babe,” he murmured. “Gonna show you exactly what this dick can do.”

He punctuated the sentence with sudden thrusts that had Mackenzie gasping and arching up to meet him. Then he surged forward with his entire body, his weight pressing her down into the bed as he snapped his hips back and forth. Mackenzie tossed her head back as Chris ploughed into her. Her hands scrabbled for purchase on his back, his rippling muscles slippery with sweat.

“That’s – more like it,” she gasped, when she’d finally caught her breath again and stopped seeing stars. Chris kissed her briefly, tracing her lips with his tongue teasingly, and grinned playfully when it ended.

“Not if you can still talk,” he panted. “Just getting started, babe.”

She frowned. “What – oh, _God_.”

Mackenzie moaned, long and loud, when Chris slipped a hand between their bodies and pressed his thumb to her clit. The lightest touch would have had her squirming, sensitive as she was from her first orgasm. He had her seeing stars as he rubbed at her with the rough pad of his thumb.

“Please,” she whimpered. “Chris, please, God, I can’t – _please_.”

She writhed beneath him, pleasure curling into an unbearably tight coil in the pit of her stomach as he thrust into her. His thumb kept rolling over her clit, and she tightened her legs around his waist.

“Please what?” he asked, his voice nothing more than a quiet rumble just next to her ear. “You gonna come for me again, Mack?”

Mackenzie nodded. It was all she could do, as her entire body quivered with pent-up pleasure.

“Come for me, baby,” he rumbled. “Come on, Mack, let go.”

“ _Chris_ ,” she gasped out.

He thrust into her even faster, and matched the pace with his thumb rubbing her clit. Mackenzie’s head fell back, her mouth opening in a silent scream as her orgasm broke. Her fingers dug into Chris’s back and her legs clamped around his waist, holding him closer to her as she rode it out. Mackenzie quivered as the pleasure rippled through her body, unable to do anything more than gasp as he worked her through her orgasm.

Chris watched her, in awe of how beautiful Mackenzie looked as she climaxed ( _because of him_ ), and grunted as her pussy tightened around him. Moments later he was following her over the edge. Squeezing his eyes shut, he thrust into her, once, twice, three more times. Then he stilled, his seed spilling inside her as he groaned.

A few moments later, he slowly moved his thumb off her clit and pulled out, causing Mackenzie to whimper softly and twitch beneath him. Then neither of them moved. His weight on top of her meant Mackenzie couldn’t, and she didn’t want him to, anyway. He was hot, heavy, and they were both covered in sweat – but she had never felt more comfortable or content in her life. Mackenzie slid her arms up Chris’s back, linking her fingers together at the base of his neck, and toyed with his hair gently. His eyes opened, puddles of liquid sky hovering above her. She smiled at him. He returned the smile, leaning down and brushing a kiss over her lips.

“You,” Chris began softly, “are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.”

“Mmm,” hummed Mackenzie, her lips curved in a smile as a blush stained her cheeks. “No. You are.”

He scoffed. “Men aren’t beautiful. We’re handsome.”

“Yes,” agreed Mackenzie, eyes widening innocently. “But if I rate you on how handsome you are, you only make second place.”

“Second – what?” he protested, rolling off her and propping himself up on one elbow. “Mackenzie!”

“Sorry,” she said, shrugging as much as she could lying on her back. “S’not my fault Sebastian’s more –”

“Sebastian!” squawked Chris. “Mackenzie, how dare you!”

His righteous indignation sent Mackenzie pealing off into giggles. She stopped to catch her breath, and rolled towards Chris. Her hand landed on his stomach, and she walked her fingers up his chest to cup his cheek.

“I’m kidding,” she said reassuringly. “You’re the most beautiful, and the most handsome, and I’m glad you got off me because you’re also the most heavy.”

He pouted.

“I just gave you two of the best orgasms you’ve ever had _in your life_ and you’re being so mean to me.”

“Best I’ve had in my life?” she asked, eyebrows shooting up. Chris just raised an eyebrow of his own, and she rolled her eyes petulantly. “Okay, yes, you’re not wrong. Excuse me for trying to keep your ego down to size.”

Chris grinned, collapsing back onto the bed. He draped one heavy arm around Mackenzie’s waist and pulled her flush against his chest. She sighed happily, and rested her head on his other bicep.

“Why didn’t you say something?” she asked, tracing along Chris’s abs with one finger.

“Why didn’t _you_ say something?” he retorted. “We could’ve been doing this so much sooner. Oof!”

Chris grunted as she thumped him in the stomach.

“Okay, okay,” he muttered. “But seriously, Mack, why didn’t you say anything? You watched me go on all those dates and you dealt with me setting you up and – why?”

“I didn’t think you’d feel the same way,” she said quietly. “I didn’t want to risk losing my best friend.”

Mackenzie squeaked when Chris pulled her even more firmly against him. She hid her face in his arm, not wanting to see the amusement she was sure would be plastered all over his face. She stiffened in surprise, though, when instead Chris dropped a kiss on the top of her head.

“Same,” murmured Chris. “Guess we’re both blind.”

“Or we just – love each other so much that we were willing to take whatever we could get as long as we had each other in our lives.”

Chris didn’t say anything. His body started shaking, gently at first, until he was making Mackenzie shake as well. She frowned, and withdrew her face from his bicep to stare at him. Chris snorted, and broke out into laughter as soon as he made eye contact with her.

“Sorry,” he spluttered. “I’m sorry, I’m not laughing at what you said, not really, because that’s _it_ , that’s exactly the reason. But God, Mack, which trashy rom-com did you get that one from?”

She rolled her eyes again, poking his heaving stomach.

“None of them,” she said indignantly. “I came up with it myself. You’re such an asshole, Christopher.”

“I know,” Chris replied, still amused. Then he sobered. “I love you, Mack.”

“I love you, too,” she murmured. She curled into him, yawning quietly. “You’re it for me, Chris. I mean it.”

“Same here, Mack. You’re it for me, too,” he said softly.

That was the last thing Mackenzie heard as she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

When she woke up the next morning, the first thing Mackenzie did was reach out for Chris. Her arm fell on empty space, though, and a warm impression in the mattress where he’d been lying. She frowned and sat up, the sheets pooling in her lap.

Mackenzie rolled out of bed and dug a tank top and a pair of sweatpants out of her closet, then padded down the hall towards her kitchen. She could hear a low male voice, but she couldn’t make out what he was saying until she drew closer. Hovering in the door, Mackenzie kept quiet and watched as Chris talked to Daisy.

“No, Daisy, you can’t have any more,” he cooed to the Dalmatian. “We’ve gotta save some for your Mommy. She likes her bacon too.”

Mackenzie was unable to keep the goofy grin off her face as she walked across the kitchen. She joined Chris at the stove, curling an arm around his waist and stretching up to kiss him soundly. Her grin was infectious, it seemed, because when she pulled back it was mirrored on Chris’s face.

“Good morning, gorgeous,” he said cheerfully. “I made coffee. I also let Daisy out and fed her, not that she wants dog food when she knows there’s bacon up for grabs. This’ll be ready any minute now.”

Nodding, Mackenzie walked slowly over to her coffee machine – the events of the previous night had left her with a delicious ache between her legs. She filled a mug and turned. She could feel Chris’s eyes on her as she walked to her kitchen table, and she sat down just as slowly as she was walking.

“Do you do this for all your girls?” she teased, sipping her coffee.

“Just the ones I don’t want to lose,” replied Chris, using the same teasing tone of voice, but Mackenzie knew he was being serious.

She blushed as he carried two plates over to the table, both loaded with bacon and eggs. Mackenzie dug straight into the bacon. When she looked up, Chris was smirking at her. Swallowing, she kicked his shin lightly under the table.

“Stop it,” she whined. “You know I like bacon.”

“I do,” laughed Chris. “You’re adorable.”

“No one is adorable while they’re eating, Chris,” she protested.

He shrugged. “You are.”

“Whatever,” Mackenzie mumbled, stabbing a fried egg aggressively with her fork. “What are you doing today?”

“You,” said Chris at once, and burst out laughing when she nearly choked on her mouthful of egg. “At least, I was hoping to. I have nowhere else to be today. Nowhere else I’d rather be.”

“You can’t just say things like that, Chris,” she whined, coughing and gulping down a mouthful of coffee.

“What, you’re not interested in round two?”

“No – I mean yes, I am, but – damn it, Chris!” Mackenzie blushed. “I thought we could go to the dog park, maybe get lunch at the café around the block. It could be our first proper date where we both actually know it’s a date.”

Chris stopped laughing at once, his eyes filled with so much happiness that it made Mackenzie’s heart swell. He reached across the table and laced his fingers with hers.

“That sounds perfect, Mack,” he murmured. “We should shower first, though. And I should stop by my place for a change of clothes.”

“You’ve got stuff here,” said Mackenzie. Then she looked at Chris slyly. “Maybe it’s time to find out if you can fit two people in my shower at once.”

It didn’t take either of them very long to finish breakfast, after that.

**Author's Note:**

> :3


End file.
